​5 ways to snap up pizzeria customer engagement with Snapchat

Facebook, Twitter and Instagram may capture the lion's share of pizza restaurateurs' attention, but those who haven't considered the multimedia app, Snapchat, might want to do so since this social media platform now has a hefty 300 million-plus users monthly. Plus this particular venue is a favorite of younger diners and offers some great ways to really drive home your brand's personality since Snapchat revolves around users' videos and photos — a.k.a. "Snaps" — that automatically delete after several seconds. 
To get started on Snapchat, brands can download the app and add the restaurant's name as the Snapchat account name.To find Snapchat friends, people need to add the brand using its shareable Snapchat QR code. Once you have this code, share it everywhere you can imagine, from takeout menus and pizza boxes, to other social media platforms. 
Then you're off and here are five ideas for making the most of your marketing via Snapchat by boosting customer engagement. If you need some great examples of truly inspired restaurant use of Snapchat, check out how brands like Taco Bell and Burger King use the medium as they are true Snapchat masters. 
Share tantalizing 'Snaps' of your foodSharing great quality photo "Snaps" of your fabulous food is important. Tempt customers by sharing Snaps of pizza around lunch or dinnertime and highlight any new menu items or share sneak pics of any specials. 
You can also use Snapchat to share video clips of a pizza being prepared or cooked. It's all about creating interesting and tempting visuals of your brand to play into the hunger and cravings of your audience. And don't forget to add links to your website or menu to drive the promotion home. 
Encourage loyaltyThink of Snapchat like a digital loyalty card, where you can offer your audience specials, create VIP perks and even distribute discount codes or free pizza offers just for your Snapchat audience in order to retain their loyalty to your brand. 
Engage diners + diners-to-beSnapchat is focused on audience interaction, so prompt customers on this social media connection to share their experiences of your restaurant, including everything from selfie Snaps with their orders to video clips they've compiled of experiences, food and fun at your store. 
Soliciting such user-generated and crowd-sourced content connects customers to your brand, an essential component of any successful restaurant marketing strategy. Also prompt customers to submit Snaps for use on your website's "Our Story" page or pages.  
Connect your story to customers storiesConsider sharing Snaps to your brand's "Story" on Snapchat that expire after 24 hours or basically posting LTOs exclusively to Snapchat that only remain valid while the story is live on the medium. You can also test some real-time offers to drive restaurant traffic by sending Snaps with shorter time limits that encourage immediacy. 
For example, share a Snap that tells your audience that the next five diners to come in and show the related Snap will receive a free beverage or side item with their orders. But, remember to delete the Snap when you've reached that limit.
Help new customers find you with a Geofilters Geofilters are similar to a regular Snapchat filters. However, they can only be used when Snapchat users are in a specific location, so creating geofilters for specific restaurant locations can be a cost-effective way to engage your audience and raise their overall awareness of your brand. Snapchat users can then use the filter every time they visit a specific brand location or just order from your menu, which, again, enhances engagement. 
The bottom line here is that if you take the time to include Snapchat in your social media and marketing strategy, you'll soon wonder what your brand did without it. It's a great way to reach another segment of potential diners who — with a little snappy prodding — can become lifelong devotees to your brand.
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